美国文学之《论自助》Unit 3 Self-Reliance

IIOBJECTIVES:A)ReviewEmersonianTranscendentalismandAmericanPuritanismB)ThethemeofSelf-RelianceC)ThemainideaofSelf-RelianceD)StudyanddiscussionofkeypointsITOPIC:Self-RelianceTopic1―ReviewEmersonianTranscendentalismandAmericanPuritanism1.Keywords:over-soul,individualmanandnature.2.Keywords:theologicalfoundation,styleoflife.Topic2―ThethemeofSelf-RelianceKeywords:Fierceindividualism;DignityTopic2―ThethemeofSelf-RelianceThetheme:Thisessayfocusesonhisdiscussionontheindividual’srelationwithhisculture—cultureinthebroadestdefinition,thusexploringtheimplicationsofthefierceindividualismattheheartofhisTranscendentalfaith：thedignity,theultimatesanctityofeachhumanbeing.Topic3―ThemainideaKeywords:ConfidenceTheIndependenceThePersonalityNoSympathyTopic4―StudyanddiscussionofkeypointsOnConfidence:Thesoulisnotraveller;thewisemanstaysathome.（P969—TheNortonAnthology）Keywords:asenseofself-culture;themissionaryofwisdomandvirtue.AccordingtoEmerson,amanisinwantofasenseofself-culture.Inmanlyhours,heshouldfeelthatdutyishisplace.Onanyoccasionheisathomestill,andshallmakemensensiblebytheexpressionofhiscountenance,thathegoesthemissionaryofwisdomandvirtue.Timeandspacearebutphysiologicalcolorswhichtheeyemakes,butthesoulislight;whereitis,isday;whereitwas,isnight.（P964—TheNortonAnthology）Keywords:asimplemindissimple;adivinewisdom;theworshipofthepast.InEmerson’sopinion,wheneveramindissimple,andreceivesadivinewisdom,oldthingspassaway.Andthesimplemindlivesnow,andabsorbspastandfutureintothepresenthour.ItshowsthatEmersonrejectedtheworshipofthepast.Amanshouldlearntodetectandwatchthegleamoflightwhichflashesacrosshismindfromwithin,morethanthelustreofthefirmamentofbardsandsages.（P956—TheNortonAnthology）Keywords:yourprivateheart;allformsofimitation;authorities;thespiritofself-trustForEmerson,tobelieveyourownthought,tobelievethatwhatistrueforyourprivateheartistrueforallmen.Speakyourlatentconviction,anditshouldbetheuniversalsense.Yetamandismisseswithoutnoticehisthought,becauseitishis.Ineveryworkofgeniuswerecognizeourownrejectedthoughts.Emersoncriticizedallformsofimitation,rejectedanyauthoritiesandopposedallself-abasedpeople.Hethoughtthattheconfidencewasaveryimportantvirtue.ThephilosophicalideahaditsspecialpowerandenlightenedmanypeopleandcateredtothespiritofoptimisminAmericaatthattime.OnIndependence:Thegreatmanishewhointhemidstofthecrowdkeepswithperfectsweetnesstheindependenceofsolitude.（P21）WhatImustdoisallthatconcernsme,notwhatthepeoplethink.(P21)Tobegreatistobemisunderstood.（P22）Keywords:nottobeinfluencedbytheothersEmersonthoughtthatthepeopleshouldn’tbeinfluencedbytheothers.Eachoneisthefirstwhoknowshimselfmuch.Itisknownthattheonlyrightistoconformtotheman’sownwill,namely,theonlywrongthingiswhatisagainsthisownwill.Emersonsupportedthatthepeopleinsistoncarryingthemselvesinthefaceofallopposition.Thetrueself-independenceisvoidofother’sencouragement;prizeisjustasanauxiliaryfunctionforachievements.Thetrueself-independentmanisonewhostillstandsfirmlywhenallpeoplefallover,andwhohimselfplaysthemajorroleinhisworld.Emersonpointedoutthatitwaseasytoliveaftertheworld’sopinion.Mostpeopleprefertothisindailylives.Butagreatmanalwaysseparateshimselffromthecrowds.Theotherterrorthatscaresusfromself-trustisourconsistency;areverenceforourpastactorword,becausetheeyesofothershavenootherdataforcomputingourorbitthanourpastacts,andweareloathtodisappointthem.（P22）Keywords:environment;innovationManypeopleareeasilyinfluencedbyenvironment.Emersonsharplyopposedthisideaandthoughtthemanshouldcultivatethepersonalityofself-independence.Indeed,alargenumberofpersonsalwayscopewiththeirlivesinthesameway,becausetheyareafraidofbeingdefeatedbynewmethods.However,theylackinnovation,whichmakesthemlackindependence.Becauseoftheirconsistency,itisverydifficultforthemtomakeprogressorstrideinlife.Independenceisestablishedonthebasisofcontinuousnewprogress.Therefore,thespiritofinnovationcanstrengthenself-reliance.AccordingtoEmerson’swords,thesocietyrefusesthepersonswithoutself-reliance.Noonecanhelpthemanexcepthimself.Thoseindependentpeoplecanstandeasilyandstably.Independenceisanindispensablequalityforone’ssuccess.Emersonpointedoutthatthemanwithoutanyindependentideaisdifficulttoconducthimself.Therefore,itisverynecessarytoformthehabitofself-reliance.AccordingtoEmerson’swords,thesocietyrefusesthepersonswithoutself-reliance.Noonecanhelpthemanexcepthimself.Thoseindependentpeoplecanstandeasilyandstably.Independenceisanindispensablequalityforone’ssuccess.Emersonpointedoutthatthemanwithoutanyindependentideaisdifficulttoconducthimself.Therefore,itisverynecessarytoformthehabitofself-reliance.OnPersonality:Nolawcanbesacredtomebutthatofmynature.Goodandbadarebutnamesveryreadilytransferabletothatorthis;theonlyrightiswhatisaftermyconstitution,theonlywrongwhatisagainstit.Amanistocarryhimselfinthepresenceofallopposition,asifeverythingweretitularandephemeralbuthe.（P20）Letusneverbowandapologizemore.Agreatmaniscomingtoeatatmyhouse,Idonotwishtopleasehim;Iwishthatheshouldwishtopleaseme.”(P23)Keywords:ownwill;ownworth;innerpowerEme